Bathroom cabinet, especially for hospitals

ABSTRACT

A bathroom cabinet has a door swingable about a vertical axis and a mirror on that door tiltable about its lower horizontal edge into an outwardly inclined position. The tilting of the mirror is controlled by a handgrip at the bottom of the cabinet which is linked by a Bowden cable with a fitting at the upper mirror edge. A locking lever at the top of the cabinet holds the door closed whenever the mirror is swung out from its normal upright position.

United States Patent Schneider 1 BATHROOM CABINET, ESPECIALLY FORHOSPITALS [76] Inventor: Walter Schneider,

Wildenbuhlstrasse 54, Cl-l-8135-a.-A. Langnau, Switzerland 22 Filed:Jan. 2, 1974 211 Appl. No.: 429,552

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 1, 1973 Switzerland 1414/73[52] US. Cl 312/227; 248/487 [51] Int. Cl A47b 67/00 [58] Field ofSearch 312/226, 227; 248/484,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1926 Lanteri ..312/2273/1928 Martend ..312/227 [451 May 27, 1975 1,730,555 10/1929 Brennan312/227 2,592,086 4/1952 Viney 312/227 3,811,755 5/1974 Carson 350/307FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 430,180 1925 Germany 312/227 PrimaryExaminer-Paul R. Gilliam Assistant ExaminerKenneth J. Dorner Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Karl F. Ross; Herbert Dubno [57] ABSTRACT A bathroomcabinet has a door swingable about a vertical axis and a mirror on thatdoor tiltable about its lower horizontal edge into an outwardly inclinedposition. The tilting of the mirror is controlled by a handgrip at thebottom of the cabinet which is linked by a Bowden cable with a fittingat the upper mirror edge. A locking lever at the top of the cabinetholds the door closed whenever the mirror is swung out from its normalupright position.

11 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures BATHROOM CABINET, ESPECIALLY FOR HOSPITALSThis invention relates to a bathroom cabinet especially intended forhospitals, having a door pivotable about a vertical axis with a mirroron its outer side. The bathroom cabinet according to the inventiondiffers from conventional ones in that the mirror tilts out on its lowerhorizontal edge into various inclined positions and can be fixed in theone desired, the member for adjusting the mirror being mounted on orclose to the cabinet bottom.

In addition to the usual stowage space, shelves, lighting fittings,switches and electric plugs, the cabinet according to my inventionpreferably accommodates a soap dispenser together with a papernapkin-dispenser; all these facilities and their operating members arelikewise arranged on the bottom of the cabinet or close thereto.

Bathroom cabinets of such design that are normally mounted on a wall atthe level of a standing person are particularly advantageous in thatthey can also be used and operated, say, by patients confined to wheelchairs.

The accompanying drawing shows by way of example a preferred embodimentof my invention. In the draw- FIG. 1 is a front view of a bathroomcabinet according to my invention cabinet;

FIG. 2 shows the underside of the cabinet as viewed in the direction ofthe arrow II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a vertical section taken on the line III- III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a detail of the section of FIG. 3 on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal part-sectional view taken on the line VV of FIG.4;

FIG. 6 shows a part-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5 with someparts in another position;

FIG. 7 is another detail visible in FIG. 3 drawn to an enlarged scale;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic representation of the cabinet showing somemodified details;

FIG. 9 shows the operating member for the tilting mirror according toFIG. 8, partly in vertical section;

FIG. 10 is a top view to FIG. 9, shown partly in vertical section;

FIG. 11 is a detail visible in FIG. 9, partly in vertical section;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the detail illustrated in FIG. 11, viewed inthe direction of the arrow XII indicated in FIG. 11; and

FIG. 13 shows a modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 11 and 12,partly in section.

As shown in the drawing, a cabinet housing 1 has a lighting fixture 2mounted thereon. The interior of the cabinet is divided by two verticalpartitions 3 and 4 into a central or stowage space or compartment 5 andtwo lateral stowage spaces or compartments 6 and 7. Fitted in thesespaces are various vertically adjustable shelves 8. Housed in the lowerpart of the central space 5 on one side of a vertical partition 9 is astack of disposable paper napkins 10, which can be withdrawn through anoval opening 11 (FIG. 2) in the bottom I of the cabinet. Accommodated inthe lower part of space 5 on the other side of partition 9 is a soapdispenser 12 with stock container 13, whose discharge nozzle 14 isexposable by operating a lever 15. The central cabinet space 5 and thetwo lateral spaces 6 and 7 are accessible through doors 17, 18, 19pivotable on hinges 16 about vertical axes. The doors have hand grips 20and are held in the closed position by permanent magnets 21 (FIG. 7).Recessed into the interior of the middle door 17 open to the front(FIGS. 4 and 7) is a mirror 22 tilt able in a U-shaped channel 17'forming the bottom edge of the door. A leaf spring 23 fixed to the door17 and engaging the back of mirror 22 tends to tilt the same into theinclined position indicated by the dashdotted line in FIG. 3.

The underside of the cabinet bottom 1 has mounted thereon a lever 24with hand grip 24', together constituting on operating handle, withwhich the tilting movement of mirror 22 can be controlled. Lever 24pivots on an axle 25, fixed in the bottom 1' of the cabinet, so as to beswingable in horizontal plane. In the flush position of the mirror thelever 24 is held by a spring clamp 26 on cabinet bottom 1' (FIG. 7).Fitted with a clamp 27 (FIG. 2) half-way along the length of lever 24 isone end of the core 28' of a Bowden cable 28. The other end of the cablecore 28' is fixed to a fitting 29 on the top edge of mirror 22. At itsupper end the sheath of the Bowden cable 28 has a connecting spigot 30threaded on the outside (FIGS. 4 to 6). The same passes through aholding strip 31 fixed on the back of door 17 and an angle piece 33rigidly joined thereto. By nuts 32 the spigot 30 is firmly connected toholding strip 31 and angle piece 33. The end of the cable core 28'emerging from spigot 30 passes through an opening 28"(FIG. 8) in door 17and is firmly joined to a fitting 29 on mirror 22. With its lower endthe sheath of the Bowden cable 28 is fixed to a holder 31' on theunderside of cabinet bottom 1' (FIG. 1). It passes through the cabinetbottom and is let within cabinet space 5 to the holding strip 31 at thetop.

On the horizontal leg of angle piece 33 a bell-crank lever 34 is mountedto rock about an axle pin 35, the hook-shaped arm 34 thereof coactingwith an abutment 36 fixed to the top of the cabinet. Bell-Crank lever 34is biased by an angled closing spring 37 whose horizontal leg rests onan offset projection of angle piece 33 and fits around the spigot 30with a ring eye. An upstanding leg 37 of the closing spring 37 tends tourge lever 34 into its locking position according to FIG. 6. The otherarm 34" of lever 34 carries a feeler lug which, in the locking position,extends through a slot in door 17 in the region of fitting 29 into thecavity of door 17 and into the swivel range of the mirror.

With lever 24 swung out, the distance from the clamp 27 to the holder31' is much smaller than when it is swung in. Accordingly, with lever 24swung out, the cable core 28' is slackened so that the mirror 24 tiltscorrespondingly under the action of leaf spring 23, as indicated bydash-dotted lines in FIG. 3. At the beginning of this tilting movementof mirror 22 the lug 34" is enabled to enter the interior of door 17through a slit 17" in its rear wall so as to permit pivotal movement oflever 34 out of the position shown in FIG. 5 into the locking positionillustrated in FIG. 6 in which the mirror door cannot swing about itsvertical axis since it is latched to the abutment-forming bracket 36.With lever 34 swung in from the position shown dash-dotted in FIGS. 2and 3, a corresponding pull is exerted on cable core 28' so that themirror tilts back from the position shown in FIG. 6 into thatillustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. At the end of this tilting movement thefitting 29 on the mirror pushes back the lever arm 34", thus causingbell-crank lever 34 to pivot out of its locking position shown in FIG. 6into the released position shown in FIG. 5. In this position the mirrordoor 17 is unlocked and can be opened.

On the underside of cabinet bottom 1 there is prvided a small lamp 38for illuminating the operating levers and 24, together with the opening11 for taking out paper napkins. At the bottom of the left-hand sidewallis a socket 39 for plugging in vacuum cleaners, floor-polishingmachines, etc. Arranged inside the lefthand compartment 6 on cabinetbottom 1, accessible only after opening the side door 18, there is asocket 40 for plugging in an electric dry shaver or a tooth brush.

For operating the tilting mechanism of mirror 22, instead of the pivotedlever 24 shown, there may be provided a slide adapted to move preferablyparallel to the back of the cabinet.

In FIG. 8 I have shown a modified cabinet 1 in which the left-handcompartment 6 of the preceding Figures has been omitted.

The bottom 1' of the cabinet 1 has a bearing 54 fixed thereon. In FIG. 9there is shown an elbow-shaped guide tube 124 whose legs 124a and 124bare interconnected by a curved piece 1240. The short vertical leg 124ais rockably supported by means of a nipple 55 in bearing 54. Leg 124aand nipple 55 are secured in position by a radially projecting pin 56receivable in either of two mutually perpendicular recesses 41 inbearing 54.

The end of the long horizontal leg 12412 of elbow 124 has mountedthereon a hand grip 43 which can be displaced axially. To ensureguidance of the hand grip 43 on leg 1241; this grip is provided with ahub 44 having a radial slot 45 extending outwardly from its bore 51(FIG. 12). Hand grip and hub are preferably made from a flexible,wear-resistant plastic, such as the material known under the brand nameDELRIN. The hand grip 43 by its hub 44, fits on the tube leg 12412 witha certain stress ensuring enhanced sliding resistance. This tension isproduced by two spring washers 46 girthing the slotted hub undertension.

Within the range of displacement of the hand grip 43 the leg 12412 has alongitudinal slot 47 on its underside. This slot acts as guide for anarm 48 projecting radially inwardly from the wall of bore 51 (FIG. 12)and ending in a slotted eye 49 at the axis of the bore..Anchored in eye49 is one end of core 28' of Bowden cable 28 which leads through theinterior of elbow 124 to the mounting (not shown) for the tilting mirror22. The sheath of Bowden cable 28 is supported in the leg 12417 at 50(FIG. 9).

Elbow 124 is indexable by pin 56 in two different pivotal positions, Le.a retracted position in which the leg 124b coincides with or liesparallel to the plane of the cabinet door 17 and an operating positionin which the leg 1241) projects to the front transversely to the planeof that door. To operate the tilting mirror 22, the leg 1241) is firstswung out into the latter position. In FIGS. 9 and 10 the hand grip 43is in its outermost end position, with the mirror tilted back into thevertical. By pushing the hand grip in the direction of the arrow B shownin FIGS. 8 and 9, the mirror is tilted out into an inclined position.

In FIG. 13 the hub 44 of hand grip 43 has an internal groove 52 insteadof a throughgoing slot 45 as in the preceding embodiment, a bridge 53being left between groove 52 and the hub wall to connect the halves ofthe hub above and below that groove. In the modification illustrated inFIG. 13, the diameter of the hub bore 51 is somewhat smaller than theoutside diameter of the tubular leg 124b. Since, as aforementioned, handgrip and hub are made of flexible material, with the hand grip fitted ontubular leg 12417 the slot 52 and the bridge 53 permit a certain elasticdistension of the hub bore so that the hub embraces the tubular legunder stress. Relatively little tension suffices to achieve afriction-tight lock of the hand grip in the desired sliding posltion.

The construction according to FIGS. 8 to 13 enables easy manipulation bypatients confined to wheel chairs, for with the elbow 124 swung outtowards him the patient can adjust the mirror to the desired inclinationby simple pulling and pushing movements.

What I claim is:

1. A bathroom cabinet comprising:

a housing with an open front side and a door for closing said frontside, said door being swingable about a vertical axis;

a mirror on an outer face of said door mounted for tilting relativethereto about a horizontal lower edge thereof;

operating means for said mirror on said housing near the bottom thereof;

locking means in said housing mounted on said door near the top thereoffor holding said door closed, said locking means being engageable bysaid mirror in an upright position of the latter for deactivation topermit opening of said door; and

biasing means in said housing acting upon said locking means for urgingsame into operative engagement with a coacting housing parts upon aforward tilting of said mirror into an inclined position, therebypreventing said door from being opened.

2. A bathroom cabinet as defined in claim 1 wherein said locking meanscomprises a bell-crank lever having a first arm projecting from saiddoor into the interior of said housing for engagement with said coactinghousing part and having a second arm with an extension traversing a slitin said door for engagement by said mirror.

3. A bathroom cabinet as defined in claim 1 wherein said mirror isprovided with spring means urging same into said inclined position.

4. A bathroom cabinet as defined in claim 1, further comprising linkmeans passing from said operating means to the top of said mirror by wayof said housing.

5. A bathroom cabinet as defined in claim 4 wherein said link meanscomprises a Bowden cable.

6. A bathroom cabinet as defined in claim 5 wherein said door isprovided with an opening and with mounting means adjacent said opening,said bowden cable having a sheath secured to said mounting means and acore traversing said opening.

'7. A bathroom cabinet as defined in claim 6 wherein said operatingmeans comprises a handle displaceable along the bottom of said housingand tied to said core.

8. A bathroom cabinet as defined in claim 7 wherein said handlecomprises a lever swingable in a horizontal plane and provided with ahand grip.

9. A bathroom cabinet as defined in claim 6 wherein said operating meanscomprises a guide tube on the bottom of said housing receiving part ofsaid sheath and 6 the plane of said door and an operating positionperpendicular thereto.

11. A bathroom cabinet as defined in claim 10 wherein said hand grip hasa hub embracing said horizontal leg under tension with a frictional fit.

1. A bathroom cabinet comprising: a housing with an open front side anda door for closing said front side, said door being swingable about avertical axis; a mirror on an outer face of said door mounted fortilting relative thereto about a horizontal lower edge thereof;operating means for said mirror on said housing near the bottom thereof;locking means in said housing mounted on said door near the top thereoffor holding said door closed, said locking means being engageable bysaid mirror in an upright position of the latter for deactivation topermit opening of said door; and biasing means in said housing actingupon said locking means for urging same into operative engagement with acoacting housing parts upon a forward tilting of said mirror into aninclined position, thereby preventing said door from being opened.
 2. Abathroom cabinet as defined in claim 1 wherein said locking meanscomprises a bell-crank lever having a first arm projecting from saiddoor into the interior of said housing for engagement with said coactinghousing part and having a second arm with an extension traversing a slitin said door for engagement by said mirror.
 3. A bathroom cabinet asdefined in claim 1 wherein said mirror is provided with spring meansurging same into said inclined position.
 4. A bathroom cabinet asdefined in claim 1, further comprising link means passing from saidoperating means to the top of said mirror by way of said housing.
 5. Abathroom cabinet as defined in claim 4 wherein said link means comprisesa Bowden cable.
 6. A bathroom cabinet as defined in claim 5 wherein saiddoor is provided with an opening and with mounting means adjacent saidopening, said bowden cable having a sheath secured to said mountingmeans and a core traversing said opening.
 7. A bathroom cabinet asdefined in claim 6 wherein said operating means comprises a handledisplaceable along the bottom of said housing and tied to said core. 8.A bathroom cabinet as defined in claim 7 wherein said handle comprises alever swingable in a horizontal plane and provided with a hand grip. 9.A bathroom cabinet as defined in claim 6 wherein said operating meanscomprises a guide tube on the bottom of said housing receiving part ofsaid sheath and a hand grip slidable on said guide tube and tied to saidcore.
 10. A bathroom cabinet as defined in claim 9 wherein said guidetube is elbow-shaped with a short vertical leg and a long horizontalleg, said hand grip being carried on said horizontal leg, the latterbeing swingable about said vertical leg between a retracted positionparallel to the plane of said door and an operating positionperpendicular thereto.
 11. A bathroom cabinet as defined in claim 10wherein said hand grip has a hub embracing said horizontal leg undertension with a frictional fit.